Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. Coaches dream of a starting rotation with the talent that these three possessed.
In the '90s, facing the Atlanta Braves was something no hitter wanted to do. The plate was widened by six inches on either side—that was the complaint, at least. Some defended this argument by saying, "It was earned."
No matter how you feel about it, it didn't matter if they got those six inches or not.
This trio complemented each other so well, unlike any other trio of our time. Maddux and Glavine possessed pinpoint control. Neither was particularly overpowering, they just threw with different arms and each had substantial movement on every pitch.
After facing the first two, it was never easy facing the flame-thrower, Smoltz. It was even harder to adjust from day to day, when the rotation went Maddux, Smoltz, and then Glavine.
In a decade when it seemed like offense was rising year in and year out, these three pitchers continued to keep Atlanta at the top of the league in pitching.
Not only did they prevent teams from uncorking on the Braves, but they continued to dominate. They carried this trend into the new millennium.
In their careers, Maddux (350-222, 3.14 ERA), Glavine (305-202, 3.53 ERA), and Smoltz (210-147, 3.26 ERA) have compiled 865 wins with a 3.30 earned run average, combined.
Along with the wins, Smoltz tacked on 154 saves in 169 attempts in a three year span. In 20 seasons, minus '01 and '08 when he has a combined 10 starts and '02-'04 when he had zero, Smoltz averaged 13.4 wins per year. When adding that average into the five seasons he was injured or was closer, you now have a pitcher with 268 career wins.
In 2008, Smoltz and Glavine have spent the majority of the season on the disabled list. Maddux is 3-8, with a 4.21 ERA, and hasn't had a full season ERA under 4.00 since 2003, when it was was 3.96. Imagine what that 3.14 ERA looked like prior to 2003.
With their ERAs and injuries increasing, I think it is time for the big three to "hang 'em up."
First, the Braves need to reacquire Maddux from San Diego. I think San Diego would let him return without much of a fight. Then the three need to retire at the end of 2008.
If the Hall of Fame voters have a respect for the game, all three of them will be enshrined in 2013.
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2 months ago
Wow! Great article. Although I was a fan of all three Braves' greats during the early '90s, now it pains me to watch them pitch. Sometimes I feel like it ruins their legacy, you know?
And tangentially related, at least if they decide to retire they'll receive adequate benefits. Read my Open Mic about NFL retirees...
from 2 months ago
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it and I will go read your article right now.
about 1 month ago
A great tribute to three great pitchers- who ALWAYS seemed to improve those who pitched beside them. I have lived in Atlanta since 1987 and have enjoyed seeing Smoltz arrive from Detroit, Glavine get promoted from AAA Richmond and Maddux come here in the prime of his pitching career. Maddux-Glavine -Smoltz...craftiest righty in baseball, deceptive lefty, dominating righty. How's that for a three-game series? This trio, along with a seemingly always great fourth starter (Avery, Mercker, Neagle, Millwood, etc.) was so key to all those division championships. It was an honor and privilege to watch these guys pitch and then look up at the radar gun display or the pitch replay on the scoreboard. The Braves won divisions by staying away from any lengthy losing skids- even with such streaky offenses.
The consistency of these guys over the long season made those titles possible. One day, Maddux would just carve up the strike zone with his deceptive late movement; the next day, Glavine would have overzealous batters fishing on the outside changeup; to finish things off, Smoltz would just overwhelm batters with both breaking movement and speed unseen from the previous hurlers. The devastating combination of Maddux's cutter, Glavine's change up and Smoltz's slider always kept Atlanta near the top of the NL standings. It should also be noted that all three of these guys were extremely competitive- but not to where it hurt their team or their friendships but in challenging each other to be better. These guys took great pride in making their starts, going deep into the game, and staying off of the DL. That meant being knowing their limits and making their side throwing sessions.
To my recollection, Maddux and Glavine have never blasted the Braves management or their teammates for a loss or setback. As for Smoltz, people have forgotten that he started out the 1991 season at 2-11 and Atlantans were calling for his demotion to AAA or banishment to the bullpen. With humility, he accepted the suggestion of psychological help and the rest is as they say history. People also forget that Glavine was a villified player rep during that nasty 1994 MLB strike.
They defined a rotation for the ages. And while they aren't the pitchers they once were, I would say that Smoltz is probably ready to hang up the spikes, but Glavine can still be a decent third or fourth starter; I think Maddux is still a great second starter. He's actually stealing bases and getting RBI bunt singles in SD! When so much has been made of Roger Clemens' story, I appreciate a classy article on these three pitchers who have shown nothing buit appreciation for the game.
On top of that, Maddux and Glavine's gave us one of the most unforgettable baseball commercial in history with their hilarious "Chicks Dig the Longball" Nike commercial!
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